What to See in Crete, Greece

Looking for things to do in Crete? Start with its historic towns, where Venetian fortresses, religious buildings, archaeological sites and traces of different communities reveal the island’s layered past. A good Crete travel guide should include Chania, Heraklion and Rethymno, three cities with very different collections of places to explore.

Neywo offers free audio guides for 3 cities in Crete, with 99 narrated places in total and 7 walking tours. Stories are available in 11 languages and play as you reach each place.

What to see and do in Crete

The island is large and varied, but its main historic cities offer a practical way to discover some of Crete’s most important sights. If you are deciding between the best towns to visit in Crete, these three are the essential starting points.

Chania

Chania has 55 narrated places on Neywo, making it the city with the largest collection of recorded sites in Crete. Its history includes ancient, Venetian and later periods, with buildings and fortifications that show how the city changed over time.

Kydonia is among the city’s highlighted places. The name refers to the ancient settlement associated with Chania, adding an archaeological layer to a city better known today for its historic urban centre.

Firka Fortress is another key stop. The fortress belongs to Chania’s defensive heritage and helps explain the strategic importance of the city and its harbour.

The Etz Hayyim Synagogue represents the Jewish history of Chania. It is a reminder that the city’s story is not limited to its rulers and military structures, but also includes the communities that lived here.

Souda Fortress completes the picture of Chania’s maritime defences. Together, these places make the city a strong choice for travellers interested in history, architecture and the many cultural influences that shaped Crete.

Heraklion

Heraklion has 12 narrated places on Neywo. It is also the seat of the Decentralized Administration of Crete, the body through which part of Greece’s national administration operates on the island.

Knossos is the city’s most prominent archaeological highlight. The site is closely associated with the ancient history of Crete and is an essential stop for anyone interested in the island’s early civilisations.

In the historic centre, Lions Square provides a different perspective on Heraklion. Saint Peter of the Dominicans is another important place to see, while Agia Aikaterini adds to the city’s religious and architectural heritage.

Heraklion is also useful for understanding how Crete is organised today. The island has its own regional authority, while the Decentralized Administration of Crete represents a separate level of government. Created in 2011 through the Kallikratis reform, the administration carries out powers transferred from the national government and supervises Crete’s 24 municipalities as well as the regional authority.

Its responsibilities include urban planning, environmental and energy policy, forestry, migration and citizenship. This structure places municipalities, the regional authority and representatives of the national state within the same administrative system.

Rethymno

Rethymno has 32 narrated places on Neywo. Its collection includes religious buildings, a major monastery, a fortress and an Ottoman-era mosque, making it one of the best towns to visit in Crete for travellers who want to explore the island’s changing cultural history.

The Church Megali Panagia is one of the city’s principal narrated places. It introduces Rethymno’s religious heritage and forms part of the historic character of the town.

Arkadi Monastery is another major stop. Its importance makes it one of the most memorable places to include when exploring the area around Rethymno.

Fortezza of Rethymno represents the city’s defensive past. The fortress reflects the strategic role of Rethymno and offers a way to understand the relationship between the town and its fortifications.

Veli Pasha Mosque adds an Ottoman layer to the city’s built heritage. Seen alongside the church, monastery and fortress, it shows how different periods and communities have left their mark on Rethymno.

Understanding Crete’s regional administration

Crete is governed at several levels. Its municipalities and regional authority handle local and regional responsibilities, while the Decentralized Administration of Crete carries out powers passed down from the national government.

The administration was established in 2011 as part of the Kallikratis reform and has its seat in Heraklion. Its formal leader is a Secretary-General appointed by the cabinet at the request of the Minister of Interior, and this official serves as the senior representative of Greece’s national government in the region.

The system has also been part of a wider debate about how Greece should organise regional government. In 2015, Interior Minister Nikos Voutsis said the decentralized administrations would be abolished and their powers transferred to the regions. While the proposed change awaited formal approval, the Secretaries-General appointed by the previous administration resigned, and senior civil servants took charge as Acting Secretaries-General.

For visitors, this administrative history is less important than the places themselves, but it helps explain why Crete has several overlapping layers of regional government.

Explore Crete with Neywo’s free audio guide

Neywo includes free audio guides for Chania, Heraklion and Rethymno: 3 cities, 99 narrated places and 7 walking tours in total. Narration is available in 11 languages.

The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace. There is no group and no schedule, so you can explore the cities independently while following the locations that interest you. Download Neywo and discover Crete’s historic streets, fortresses, churches, archaeological sites and other narrated places as you walk.